by Lucille Cedercrans
In the first lesson we said that every thought will take material form sooner or later. In this lesson we shall go further and say that the little private world in which each one of us lives is but an out‑picturing of what we have thought in former incarnations, have thought in the immediate past (that which lies behind in this incarnation), and that which we think now. In order to better understand this we shall now consider which of the three categories are responsible for various manifestations.1. PAST INCARNATIONS
The human Soul incarnates many times, each time learning more of the Truth through experience, that Truth being added to its consciousness when again it takes a flesh body. Actually the incarnating entity creates in one incarnation the type of life it shall manifest in its next incarnation. It forms many associations and comes back again and again with those same people. It builds many dreams of what it would like to do, have, etc., and is unconsciously building the world into which it will return. When one stops to consider the quality of those dreams, it is easy to understand why we see so much suffering around us. How often do emotions of revenge, jealousy, hatred, greed, etc., color our dreams? When the incarnating entity fails to realize his dreams in one life, they will manifest for him in the next or the next, and if they are ugly thoughts, it stands to reason that the life in which they take form will be an ugly one.
These thoughts are the cause of the conditions into which we are born as children. They form the basis of our entire incarnation; for the first seven years of a child's life forms the pattern the rest of his life will take. All of the thoughts which are handicaps to healthy living are acquired in this age ‑ that is to say, childhood impressions which become complexes and block the healthy expression of the adult.
When you desire greatly something you have not and cannot hope to have according to present conditions, you are building another life for yourself. You are actually creating future conditions into which you will be born.
2. IMMEDIATE PAST
When you think idle thoughts or passing thoughts, you are building the conditions into which you will move in a few years. Very often you will feel a strong desire for something but it is replaced after a short time by a desire for something else. That which you desired you are very likely to meet at a time when you realized you didn't really want or have need of it. Then you do not know what to do with it and it is a bother. Be careful when you desire something, making sure that it is not just a temporary whim.
3. PRESENT THOUGHTS
Our present thoughts manifest the little things in our life which, when added up, tell the story of whether we are happy or unhappy. It is not the things which happen to us that cause our unhappiness, but rather our reactions to them. Happiness is a state of mind and is possible of attainment under any condition. Life on the physical plane is never without apparent conflict, for conflict produces growth; but life anywhere can be pleasant. If we meet the challenge of life to the best of our ability, learn to accept the so‑called bad with the good, and practice positive thinking, we are happy individuals.
Write a list of what constitutes positive thoughts and negative thoughts and then discover which ones you entertain most of the time. Check your list daily and see how many of the negative thoughts you can eliminate from your mind.
